


We Can Go Dutch

by seemeeimbeebee



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Florist Killian and Liam, everything's out of whack here, inpsired by Lost, underworld fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-08
Updated: 2016-02-08
Packaged: 2018-05-19 05:17:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5955037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seemeeimbeebee/pseuds/seemeeimbeebee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After being cursed by Cora, Emma lives day to day in Underworld!Storybrooke with her son, Henry, not realizing where she is or that she’s not supposed to be there. Everything seems okay. Except why does she keep seeing these flashes, and why is the florist involved? Cursed Underbrooke fic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	We Can Go Dutch

**Author's Note:**

> Heavily, heavily inspired by the scene from Lost by the same name. There's a lot of flower language and florist Killian.

_“I’m going to find him, I swear I will,” Emma snarled, pulling Henry close as the thick purple smoke enveloped them. “And there’s nothing you can do to stop me.”_

_“Oh, dear,” Cora said with a calm smile and a sickly sweet voice. “How are you going to find him if you can’t even remember him?”_

* * *

 

 Emma bolted awake with a gasp. She all but leaped out of bed and made her way to her son’s bedroom. Henry was sitting on his bed, playing video games. “Hey, kid,” she said, slightly out of breath. “Don’t you have school?”

“Mom, it’s Saturday,” Henry said patiently, making room on the bed and pulling the second controller off of the floor. “Wanna come play?” Emma smiled gently and sat beside him, wrapping an arm around him for a moment. “You okay?” Henry asked worriedly, looking up at her.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Emma said with a shrug. “I just had a bad dream that someone was trying to hurt you, that’s all.” Henry nestled into her quietly. “You’re almost getting too big for this,” she said with a sad smile.

“Almost,” Henry said quietly, resting his head on her shoulder. Emma stroked the back of her son’s hair and dropped a kiss to the top of his head. “Can we go visit Dad today?” he asked. “We don’t have to if you don’t want to. I just…it’s been awhile.”

“Yeah, of course we go visit your Dad,” Emma said softly. “Let’s stop by the florist after we make breakfast here, hmm?” When she says the word ‘florist’ something clicks into place, and another remnant of her dream—was it even a dream?—flashed before her eyes.

_“Where’s my son?” Gold snarled, pinning Cora up against a wall. “Why isn’t he here? Why haven’t we seen him? Where is Baelfire?”_

_“He isn’t here,” Cora said patiently. “He’s…moved on.”_

“Mom?” Henry’s voice cut through her daze. Emma shook her head and looked down at her son who was looking exasperatedly up at her. “C’mon, you’re getting killed by that ogre. Heroes aren’t slowed down by their sidekicks when they’re on a quest.”

“Sorry, kid,” Emma chuckled, picking up the controller. “Let’s play.”

* * *

Emma and her son walked down the empty street. Something seemed off about…well, everything, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. “Is it really only 8:14?” she wondered, looking down at her watch. The watch read 9:30.

“I guess the clock stopped again,” Henry shrugged.

“When did it stop before?” Emma asked, looking up at the clock tower and the empty library underneath.

“I don’t know,” Henry replied, tugging on his mother’s hand. “I think it happened like right when I was born or something. It moved once, I think, but I don’t remember.”

Emma frowned. She couldn’t remember either. She slipped her hand into her son’s and frowned deeper when they stopped across the street from the florist.

Pan’s Petal Parlor?

_It was snowing as Henry ran across the street. She wrapped her arms tightly around him and rested her head against his just so grateful he was okay after the curse. She squeezed him tightly to her for another moment longer before letting him go._

Something wasn’t right. There was the flower shop, but it wasn’t supposed to be there. There had been something else here, she was sure of it.  “Isn’t the pawn shop supposed to be here?” she asked, looking the place over.

“Mom, what are you talking about? There is no pawn shop,” Henry replied. He stopped short and looked up at her. “Are you feeling okay?” he asked suspiciously. “You’re acting weird.”

She nodded, running her fingers through her son’s hair. “Yeah, kid, I’m fine. I guess that dream still has me feeling out of place. After we go visit your Dad, why don’t we grab some lunch? I could really use a grilled cheese sandwich and some onion rings.”

“Where, Mom?” Henry asked. “The diner’s been closed for ages. I guess we could go to that little Italian restaurant owned by the Mayor’s daughter.”

Emma’s first thought was: _why would a baby own a restaurant?_ Her second thought, naturally, was: _wait, no the Mayor’s daughter isn’t a baby. She’s a grown woman. She’s older than me._

“Oh yeah. I hear Regina makes a mean lasagna. Sounds like a date, kid,” she told her son, still slightly stuck on that train of thought. What was wrong with her today? She smiled down at Henry to take herself out of it. “I bet if you ask really nicely, she’ll slip you some extra garlic bread. You both get along so well.” The woman who adored her son loved him like he was her own.

“She says I remind her of her ex-stepson,” Henry shrugged. “It’s a shame that she and Robin didn’t work out. I really thought they were True Love, and then he just left.” He looked up at his mother. “Do you think they’ll ever get back together?” he asked hopefully.

“I don’t know, kid,” Emma replied thoughtfully. “I know they were happy together, and I don’t remember what made them separate, but hopefully they’ll make their way back to one another.” She nearly tripped over her son as he hugged her tightly. “What is it?”

“I was just thinking about how you never found your parents, how they just left you behind,” Henry muttered. “And how upset I’d be if you left me like that.”  

Emma knelt down and pulled Henry tightly to her chest. “Lucky for you that’s never going to happen,” she promised. “You’re stuck with me for a long time, kid. I fought like hell to get you in my arms after I got out of jail, and I am never letting you go. I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” Henry said with a little grin. “Now let’s go get some flowers.” He pulled away and Emma was relieved that his joy was genuine. He bounded into the flower shop, just ahead of his mother. “Hello?” he called, opening the front door. “Hello?”

“Hello there, lad,” a voice called from the front desk. A tall, broad chested man stepped forward. The bell rang as Emma stepped into the shop. “What can I do you for?”

“Hi, Liam,” Henry said, reading the man’s nametag. “My name’s Henry. This is my mom, Emma,” he introduced them.

“Hello,” Liam said kindly. “What can I do you for on this lovely Saturday morning?”

“We need some flowers,” Henry replied, looking around for any selections that seemed appropriate. He didn’t really like any of the options available to him, and he frowned thoughtfully. “Do you have anything else? Something a little more…somber?”

“Is he like this often?” Liam chuckled, looking over at Emma. She just smiled and nodded. “I’ll see if my brother has any other bouquets in the back for you, lad.” He looked over at Killian and called, “Oi! Little brother!”

“That’s younger brother to you,” Killian groused, coming from the back of the shop. “What do you--?” The world seemed to stop as Emma and Killian made eye contact.

_He looked battered and terrified as they pulled him up from underneath the dead bodies. She couldn’t believe there was a survivor. How could Cora have been so messy?_

_He couldn’t help but think she looked like some sort of angel, her hair glowing softly in the sunlight. For the first time since Milah died, he felt something deep inside himself. Just who the hell was she?_

“Um,” Emma said eloquently, shaking her head to clear the strange feeling in her chest that she knew this man from somewhere. “My son and I were looking for some flowers that we’re going to bring to the cemetery. He says all the ones out here are too bright…”  

“Sure, yeah,” Killian replied, a little dazed. “I have just the thing in the back. Be right back.” He disappeared into the back of the shop while Emma struggled to close her jaw. She didn’t even notice that he only had one hand.

“What’d you say your brother’s name was again?” Henry asked, looking at Liam conspiratorially.

“Killian,” Liam replied, looking at the back room. He couldn’t stop grinning either. “That’s Killian.”

* * *

A few days later, a hesitant knock sounded on her front door. Her hair was messily swept up into a ponytail and she was still in her pajamas. She knew it was about noon, but one of the perks of working at home was that she didn’t have to worry about things like that.

She opened the door to discover the florist from the other day, standing there with a rather large and colorful assortment of flowers in his arms including sorrels and sunflowers. “Hi,” she murmured, feeling very self-conscious about her appearance.

“Your son,” Killian explained with a laugh. “Came by the shop yesterday and bought these for you, asking I deliver them to you when I went on lunch break. And there’s a note with it too, hold on.” He rooted around in his pocket to try and find it. “Ah, here it is,” he said, pulling out a small slip of paper.

“Do you do this for all of your customers?” Emma asked, as her lips quirked upward in amusement.

“Your son was rather insistent,” Killian laughed, clearing his throat before reading the card. “Dear Mom, I thought I’d send you these while I was at school so you wouldn’t miss me too much. I’ll see you when you come to pick me up from school. You’re the best mom in the whole world, and I love you a lot. Your son, Henry.”

Emma’s eyes filled with tears at the note, and she gratefully took the flowers from Killian’s arms.

Their fingers brushed for a moment.

_"You are bloody brilliant,” he laughed as she pulled him out of the rubble. “Amazing.” He couldn’t stop chuckling, although he supposed that was partially to the delirious feeling of still being alive after all that._

_And then her hand slid into place in his, and something clicked in his soul. Or perhaps it was just the handcuff she was clicking around his wrist._

“Uh,” Killian said softly, scratching his ear as they both sprung back from one another. He had no idea if she had seen what he had. He had no way of knowing that she did. “I have something else for you too actually.” He pulled a seed packet out of his pocket. “I saw that Henry really liked the white tulips with the scabious flowers so I brought you a packet so you can grow your own tulips. In case our flowers aren’t up to the lad’s standards.” 

“How much?” Emma asked, turning around to go get her wallet.

“Free of charge,” Killian said honestly, his eyes bright. Emma shifted nervously in her doorway, before he added, “I hope this isn’t too forward.”

“I just don’t know if giving your customers seed packets of their son’s favorite flowers free of charge is the best business practice,” Emma replied, and Killian laughed. She grinned too, her heart suddenly feeling lighter than it had in ages.

“White tulips are hard to come by here for some reason,” Killian shrugged. “I always thought that meant something, truthfully.”

“What do you mean?” Emma asked curiously.

“White tulips are indicative of forgiveness,” he explained.  

“Yeah, there isn’t really a lot of forgiveness in Storybrooke these days,” Emma replied with something of a sigh. “I don’t know what it is…but for as long as I can remember this has been such a cold, isolating town.”

“We’ll call this a preemptive forgiveness then,” Killian laughed, leaning back. His smile was wide, his eyes bright. “In honor of our new friendship.”

“Yeah. Friends,” she agreed hesitantly, looking up at him.

_“I can’t take the chance that I’m wrong about you.”_

She stopped, suddenly feeling overwhelmed. She was in dangerous territory with him, and she thumbed the ring around her neck--where had she gotten the ring? She couldn’t remember--nervously. It was all getting so familiar so fast, and she wasn’t sure why but her instincts were screaming at her to just run.

“What’s that?” Killian asked curiously, seeing the flash of gold.

“Nothing,” Emma said curtly, tightening her hand around it. “Good day.” She closed the door and fled to the back of the house.

* * *

 

 The next morning, a violet hyacinth lay on her doorstep. Inside there was a note that read:

_Purple hyacinths are meant to be an apology from the sender. Let this be mine. I shouldn’t have asked after your personal life yesterday. It was too forward of me, and I hope you forgive me.-KJ_

Emma couldn’t help but smile and blush a little bit, and her fingers gently traced along his handwriting.

_It reminded me that I have this tendency to…expect the worst of people,” she admitted, looking up at him. Every instinct was screaming at her to stop, that he would leave once he knew her too well, got too deep. She shifted anxiously. “My childhood people were always letting me down, and I--”_

_“Hey,” he interrupted her gently, with such tenderness that her heart was full to burst. “I don’t intend to let you down.”_

_'' I_ _know.”_

She quickly donned a pair of jeans and a sweater before heading down to the flower shop, trying not to think about what had flashed before her eyes. _It must’ve been a dream or something._  

“He’s out on a delivery, lass,” Liam said with something of a knowing smirk.

She found herself mildly disappointed that he wasn’t there.  But there was no way she was going to give into Liam’s look. She quickly found a packet of white tulip seeds and paid for it. “Give this to Killian when he comes back, okay?” She didn’t give the elder Jones brother much of a chance before she headed out of the door.

On the front of the seed packet, she wrote: _I forgive you.-ES_

* * *

 He returned to her doorstep the next day with an assortment of blue periwinkles, locust tree greens, and lily of the valleys.

 “Another one from Henry?” Emma asked.  

“No, these are from me,” Killian replied. “Don’t worry, I paid for these meself. No dangers to my business if I personally pay for them.”

She smiled a little in spite of herself. “Won’t you come in?” Emma asked, stepping back so she could let him in. He followed her inside, hard to imagine that she’d purchased the large blue house and only lived in it with herself and her son. “I’m starting to run out of vases, you know,” she called back.

“I can see that,” he replied, looking around in wide-eyed wonder. “Your home is looking about as vibrant as my shop. Smells just as nice too.”

Emma chuckled and brought back a vase. “You can sit down by the way,” she said, gesturing to the kitchen table. “I was just about to make some lunch. Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?”

“No, I’m not particularly hungry, though I will take some water if you have any,” Killian said hopefully, looking at her.

“Yep, you’ve just got the last of it,” Emma teased, pouring him a glass of tap water. She put it on the table. “So…what do these flowers mean?” she asked, putting the new flowers on the table.

“Well,” Killian started. “Blue periwinkle is early friendship, lily of the valley is a return of happiness and locust greens…” He frowned as he thought about it, his eyebrows furrowing together. “Now why would I…?” he wondered out loud.

“What does it mean?” Emma asked worriedly.

“Well,” Killian admitted. “The green from the locust tree…it…it’s affection from beyond the grave. Sorry, lass. I think I meant to grab something else. That’s highly inappropriate given that you’re a widow. I’m so—”

“A widow?” she asked confusedly.

“Henry told Liam about the death of his father, and I shouldn’t have--” Killian started.

“We weren’t married,” Emma said quietly, looking away from him as she tapped her finger against the kitchen table. “Henry’s father and I. We weren’t married. Unfortunately, it’s a little bit more complicated than that.”

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Killian said quietly and reached across the table to take his hand in hers.

_“Everyone I’ve ever been with is dead!” she cried out at him. “Graham and Neal…even Walsh. I can’t lose you too…”_

_“Well, love, you don’t have to worry about me,” he promised. “If there’s one thing I’m good at...it’s surviving.” He pulled her close, wishing he could kiss all her fears away. All the years of loneliness and heartbreak. But he couldn’t._

_Still, she relaxed in his arms. And for him?_

_That was enough._

“It’s okay,” Emma responded, linking their fingers together. She wasn’t even sure why she was allowing herself to trust him.

He sat there for a moment, holding her hand just a little bit longer. They sat in companionable silence, not even really looking at each other or anything in particular.

“Some days, I wish he was still around just so that…so that Henry would have someone. So that I’d have someone. And I just feel so…out of sorts. Like something’s missing. Or someone, but I wouldn’t know who. It’s been just me and Henry for as long as I can remember.” 

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Killian repeated, trying to clear his mind of the scene that had just flashed before him. It wasn’t a dream, that much was certain, but how could it be a memory if he’d only known her for a few days?

“If it helps, I…I’ve lost someone too. And even though I have Liam, there’s still part of me that feels alone. Like I’m waiting for a certain someone to walk back into my life. And I don’t know who they are, but…I’ll know when I see them,” he told her.

“I hope you find them,” Emma said quietly. She smiled at him sadly and knowingly, and he felt like part of his soul slid into place.

* * *

 

“So when are you asking her out, little brother?” Liam asked pointedly. “Forty-five minutes is an awfully long time for a flower delivery. The shop was quiet without your loud pining.”

“Emma and I were just sitting and talking about some things,” Killian sighed, pressing his forehead to the counter. “And that’s younger brother to you.”  

“Sitting _and_ talking? You’ve got it bad, little brother,” Liam snickered. “Especially because she’s a _customer_ and you shouldn’t be doing that. You know, because you’re at work and you can talk to her on your own time.”

“It’s more than that,” Killian said, picking his head up. “I…I feel like I know her from somewhere. I keep having these…flashes, I guess? They feel like dreams, but she’s in them. We’re close. She means something to me in them, and the more time I spend with her, the more I’m certain.” He caught Liam’s look. “I’m not crazy.”

“I never said you were, brother. But flashes before your eyes? That’s…something we ought to go get checked out,” the elder Jones brother replied, quirking an eyebrow at Killian.

“It’s not like that. But I don’t know what they are. I wish I could explain it though,” Killian sighed, sliding down behind the booth.

“Hey, you let me know if you start to get worried, yeah?” Liam asked quietly. “I don’t want to lose you.” He quietly slung his arm around his brother’s shoulder.

“You won’t lose me,” Killian replied with a little smile. “I’m not going anywhere. It’s been us for as long as I can remember and I’m not gonna stop now.”

“All right, let’s get off the floor and keep working then, eh?” Liam said, clasping his brother’s shoulder. Killian grinned happily and joined his brother. “And seriously, when you two have your first date, I want to be the first one to hear about it.”

“Who else would I tell?” Killian chuckled, happily heading back into work.

* * *

 

 “You want me to go toyboat sailing?” Emma asked in a deadpan voice. “This is where you wanna go with me this weekend?”

 “Yep!” Henry said cheerfully, thrusting the brochure in his mother’s hands. “There’s a race and everything. Liam showed it to me, he said it’d probably be really cool.” The boy waited for a moment before adding, “Killian might be there.”

“Ah,” she replied knowingly. She’d admittedly been impressed with how quickly Henry had taken to the Jones brothers. And she profusely was trying to ignore how quickly Killian had made himself comfortable in her day to day life. She wasn’t ready to acknowledge that yet.

But, she was pretty sure her thirteen year old was trying to get her to set up on a date. “Is Killian going to be there or do I have to ask him to be there?”

“I mean, he may not go if you don’t ask him, so I think you should ask him,” Henry said casually. “It’s cool. I’ll stay totally out of the way on Saturday.”

“You weren’t planning on going with me at all, were you?”

“Nope.” Henry handed her two flowers.

“What’s this?” Emma asked softly.

“An iris and a jonquil. The iris means you have a message for someone. The jonquil asks for a return of affection,” Henry explained.

“Liam?” she questioned, already knowing the answer.

“Liam.”

* * *

“Hi,” Emma said shyly, stepping into the flower shop. She took the brochure and the two flowers and nearly thrust them into Killian’s hand. “Um. This is for you.”

“Are you asking me on a date?” Killian asked, the corners of his lips quirking up in amusement.

“If you want. You don’t have to pay or anything. We could go Dutch,” she stammered, her cheeks turning pink as his eyes grew bright with merriment. “Just say something, please?” she asked nervously.

“Of course we can go out this Saturday,” he replied with a fond and affectionate smile.

“Cool,” she said, feeling warm and self-conscious all over.

“Cool?” he repeated, seconds away from bursting into laughter.

“Yeah, cool,” she replied, jerking her up chin definitely at Killian. “You got a problem with that?”

“Not even a little bit,” he chuckled softly. He stepped in closer to her. “I’d really like to kiss you. Is that okay?” She nodded, smiling softly when he gently cupped her cheek. She pressed her cheek into his hand. Her lips gently brushed against his. They both leaned into one another and were overcome by an onslaught of memories.

_Parting at the town line. New York. Their first dance together. Kissing outside Granny’s. The ice wall. Their first date. Curling up together at the station. Him kissing her at the Sorcerer’s mansion. Returning his heart. Coffee and a walk through town. Telling her she was his happy ending. Holding her when she returned from finding Lily. Finding each other again after the alternate universe. The darkness taking her. Telling him that she loved him. Kissing him in the Middlemist flowers. Losing him in the Middlemist flowers. Saying good-bye as he sacrificed himself by the lake._

Emma gasped and stepped back, tears trailing down her cheeks. She was trembling from head to toe. “Killian…” she whispered.

“Emma?” Killian asked in a hoarse voice. “Emma? It’s me…” He brushed her tears away. She launched herself into his arms and he tightened them around him.

A burst of white light sprung forward and covered the entire town. “Was that a--?” she started, but was broken off by Killian kissing her again. Her hands tightened in his shirt and pressed in closer.

“You found me,” he whispered, disbelievingly.

“Did you ever doubt I would?” Emma murmured, pressing their forehead. Her hand came up to stroke his cheek. Her eyes searched his face, drinking in every minor detail. “Kiss me,” she laughed in a watery voice.

“Aye, aye,” he replied and kissed her again.


End file.
